Episode #53: Threatened Manuscripts, Satanic Stupidity and Batman’s Cape

*Higgs Boson news not included

The 53rd episode of Consilience is out! You can download the mp3 here (25mb) and the file’s page on Archive.org is here.

Apologies for the wonkiness during the news section. Follow the links below to get the full stories.

Starring

• Owen Swart
• Angela Meadon
• Michael Meadon

Teaching Angela to Appreciate History

1979 – Skylab was deorbited.

Updates

They found something called a “Higgs Boson“. (It was behind the couch).

News

Ancient Malian scientific texts under threat from Islamist extremist groups in modern Timbuktu.

MEC says something stupid: blames crime on Satan.

Australopithecus Sediba has surprising things in its teeth.

(Aside: different kinds of Kryptonite)

Batman cannot fly. (But Batman Always Wins)

SA Agulhas II on her shakedown cruise.

Pluto has five moons!

Sci-fi/Fantasy Quote

“It has nothing to do with god.  People fear what they do not understand.”
— Dr. Hood (played by Rufus Sewell)
Eleventh Hour (US), season 1, episode 2, “Cardiac”

Announcements

• Johannesburg
  • Sceptics in the Park – Sunday, July 15th at 13:00. Johannesburg Botanical Garden, the Rose Garden
  • Speak2aScientist – Thursday, July 19th at 18:30. Sci Bono Discovery Centre. Prof Simon Connell, lead particle physicist from the UJ-Atlas group – The “God-particle” discovered: a milestone in our lifetime!
  • ScopeX – Saturday 21st July, 09:00 to 21:00. National War Museum, Johannesburg Zoo.
• Durban
  • Sceptics in the Pub – Thursday, July 19th at 18:00. Pizetta
• Appearances
  • Owen in Primordial Soup #23

Link of the Week

Owen – Doubtful News

http://archive.org/details/ConsilienceEpisode53

http://archive.org/download/ConsilienceEpisode53/Consilience53.mp3